Facebook Reels was born as part of Meta’s push to capitalise on the immense popularity of TikTok and provide a suitable competitor to the Chinese app. In September 2021, Facebook Reels made its debut in the US, and several months down the line, it is finally rolling out to over 150 countries globally.
With Reels rolling out to many across the globe, this could solve Facebook’s issue with its daily active users (DAUs). For the first time, the king of social media clocked a drop in DAUs in Q4 2021. In the same earnings, Meta claimed that Reels was its fastest-growing format and the biggest contributor to growth on Instagram. As more and more people start to use Reels and engage on Facebook, the platform could attract and retain more daily users.
Reels is Facebook’s answer to TikTok and allows users to record short, 30-second videos and upload them on the social network. This has been available on Instagram for quite some time, and now, it is properly coming to Facebook worldwide. Meta also noted that Reels generates a lesser amount of ad dollars than Feed or Stories, and does not include as many ads when compared with Feed or Stories.
You can share Reels on Facebook Stories and even make reels from existing Stories, or watch (and create) reels directly within the Watch tab. You will also see a new Reels label at the top of Feed, and in select countries, Meta will suggest reels that you may like in your Feed. There might also be options to share Reels on both Instagram and Facebook, though it is not definite.
Along with rolling out Reels globally, more features and ways to earn money from Reels are rolling out. You may remember the Reels Play Bonus Program, which is a part of Meta’s $1 billion creator investment and pays eligible creators up to $35,000 a month based on the views of their qualifying reels. Going forward, this program will be expanded to more countries.
Next comes the expansion of tests of Facebook Reels Overlay Ads to all Reels creators in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and all countries where in-stream ads are available by mid-March. For now, Meta is starting with two ad formats – banner ads (that will appear as a semi-transparent overlay at the bottom of a Reel), and sticker ads (a static image ad that can be placed by a creator anywhere within their reel). Creators in the US, Canada, or Mexico who are already a part of the existing in-stream ads program will have automatically opted in to the new Overlay Ads tests.
Next comes a tipping mechanism, Stars on Facebook Reels, which people can buy and send while watching Reels to support creators. Facebook will also roll out launch full-screen and immersive ads in between Reels in global markets in the coming months. Whether or not a Reel will have an ad will depend on several factors, so not all Facebook Reels will have ads.
Brand suitability controls like Publisher Lists, Blocklists, Inventory Filters, and Delivery Reports for Banner and Sticker Ads in Facebook Reels will roll out as well. This will give advertisers more control over how their ads appear in places they do not consider suitable for their brand or campaign.
Enough about monetization features, it is time to see what other tools are coming to Reels. You can now make Reels up to 60 seconds long, and can (soon) create a Reel and save it as a draft, and publish it later. TikTok’s Duets gets a rival in Facebook Reels’ Remix, which allows creators to create their reel alongside an existing, publicly-shared reel on Facebook, which includes all or part of the other creator’s reel.
In the coming months, creators will also have access to video clipping tools that will make it easier for them to test different formats.
